CLEVER MRS. PARTRIDGE. 



Waltek was walking in the woods with his father. Suddenly 

 a partridge flew up near them, and lighted almost at their feet. 



She acted very strangely, 

 bristling up her feathers, and 

 running first towards Walter, 

 and then from him, but dodg- 

 ing so that the boy could not 

 catch her. 



When Walter walked the 

 bird went slowly, and when 

 he ran she would go just fast 

 enough to keep out of his 

 reach, and at the same time 

 lead him on. They went in 

 this Avay for some distance, 

 when the partridge rose in the 

 air and flew out of sight. 



" Why did she act so strange- 

 ly?" asked Walter, as he re- 

 turned to the place where his 

 father was standing. " I thought she must be wounded, so she 

 could not fly; but she went fast enough when she got ready." 



" This would answer your question if you knew her ways," said 

 the father, as he showed Walter a tiny partridge which he was 

 holding in his hand. 



" Oh, where did you get that? " asked Walter, in delight, as he 

 took the little creature and gently smoothed its tiny feathers. 



"I picked it up just as you started to follow the mother bird. 

 I think there must have been a dozen of them; but they hid so 

 quickly that I could get only this one." 



" Why, I did not see any of them I " said Walter. 



" ^o, for the old bird took your whole attention, which was just 

 what she wanted to do. When she had called you far enough 



